A typical way to insulate and finish basement walls is to build a wood or metal frame stud wall adjacent to the foundation wall and to insulate it with fibrous glass batting. Organic building materials such as the cellulose of the wood studs and paper layers of the gypsum products or batt insulation support the growths of molds, fungi, and mildew. In a damp and humid environment the organic components are especially susceptible to dry rot and decomposition.
Fibrous insulation batts are susceptible to significant insulation value losses with increases in the moisture content in the insulation, compromising the thermal integrity of the insulation system. The conventional wood or steel stud framing that is positioned adjacent to both the concrete wall and interior finish provides direct thermal bridging from the concrete walls to the interior surfaces of the finished space. The wood and steel framing significantly reduces the R-Value insulating components of the wall system, by as much as 50%-80%.